Buttonhole attachment for sewing machines



Sept. 20, 1949. N. T. ALMQUIST" 2,482,607

BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 12, 1946 2sheets-sheet 1 Sept. 20, 1949. N. T. ALMQUIST 2,482,507

BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 12, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet 2' Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNlTEiD YQSTATES PATENT OFFICEBUTTONHOLE'ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING r MACHINES Nils T. Almquist, NewBritain, Conn., assignor to The Greist Manufacturing Company, New Haven,Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application April 12, 1946, SerialNo. 661,555

18' cl ims.

- This invention relates to sewing machine attachments, and moreparticularly .to a buttonhole. attachment. for sewing machines; Theinvention also relates particularly to the. provision of an attachment.of .this character for use withordinaryfhousehold sewing machines, andin the operation of the present device in stitching a buttonhole thework is reciprocated laterally for the formation of the buttonholestitches and also fed lengthwise of the buttonhole to stitch alongoneside thereof. When the line of stitching reaches the end of thebuttonhole or the end of thefeed, the. feed will be reversed and thematerial shifted laterally or transversely of the line of stitches, sothat the opposite side of the buttonhole will be stitched. All of theabove operations areperformed automatically, so that a continuous lineof stitches entirely surrounding the buttonhole will result without thenecessity forany intervention of the operator.

The stitching upon each side of the buttonhole is somewhat in the natureof a zig-zag' stitch, and it is advantageous that the lateraloscillatory movements of the feed blade whichproduce this stitch becapable of adjustment in order to adjust the width of thesestitches rthebite, as this is usually called. It is also desirable that thespacing of the two lines of stitching be ad justable so as to vary thedistance between the median line of stitching on one side of thebuttonhole and the median line of stitching on the other side thereof tomake wide or narrow buttonholes. A third adjustment is also meets sary,which is the adjustment of the length of the line of stitching in orderto make buttonholes of difierent lengths. ,In order words, with such anattachment it is necessary that a buttonhole of any size, within limits,be possible and that the bite or the width of the stitch at each side ofthe buttonhole also be varied.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedbuttonhole attachment for sewing machines which will be efiicient inoperation and which will be of relatively simple construction.

A further object of the inventionisto provide a buttonhole attachmentfor sewing ma'chines which will possessall of the necessary adjustmentsfor the making of buttonholes' of different sizes, which adjustments maybe made in a relatively simple manner so that-they'may be made by anyuserof the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a buttonholeattachment for sewing machines which .will be comprised of relativelyfew parts and be relatively-[simple in construction, andwhich will,atthe same time, have all of the necessary adjustments required in adevice of this kind.

To these andot'her ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to. be hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a buttonhole attachment for. sewingmachines embodying my invention; V

Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of the same;

. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the feed blade apart from the remainingstructure;

, Fig. 7 is a top plan view of one of the rack units or templetsdetachably secured to the feed blade;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of a rack unit or templet of difierent shape;

Fig. 9 is a view similar .to Fig. 4 showing a slight modification of mydevice;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view Fig. 9; and.

Fig. 11 is a. diagrammatic view of the type of stitch effected by theattachment.

To illustrate oneembodiment of my invention, I haveshowna .buttonholeattachment for sew ing machines comprising a supporting frame comprisinga base plate Ill having attaching means It thereon by which it may besecured to the presserbar of the sewing machine.

Upstanding from this base plate are a pair of spaced standardsl'2 .inwhich are rotatably mounted a cam roll l3 havingacam groove M therein ofzig-zag shape intended to impart oscillatory movement to axcamv followerreceived therein, as will be hereinafterexplained, this oscillatorymovement 'being'in a direction laterally or transversely of thelongitudinally dimension of the attachment.

The camroll or .wheelil3 is designed to be opera-rated in astep-byJ-step movement, and for this purpose an actuating le'ver I6 ispivoted on the shaft I! of the wheeLthis lever'being provided withaforked endl8 tobe attached to the needle bar in the usual manner.Thelever I6 carries a pawl is urged bya' spring 20 into engagement witharatchet wheel 2| made rigid with the cam 13 so:that operation'of theratchet wheel in a step-by-step movement by reciprocation or oscilonline 10-10 or lation of the lever 16 will effect step-by-step movementof the cam.

A lever 23 is pivoted at 24 to a bracket 25 carried by the base platel0, this lever having on its forward end a follower 26 disposed in thecam track or groove 14, so that as the cam l3 rotates the lever 23' willbe oscillated about its pivot 24.

t will be noted that the lever 23 is relatively wide at its rear end andis in the form of a flat plate. Upon the rear end of this lever ismounted a bearing bracket 21, and the hub: 28 of a ratchet wheel 2% isrotatably mounted in this bracket and in the lever 23. Secured to thishub is a shaft 35 which extends through the lever 23 and terminates in adownwardly projecting pin 3L Formed integrally with, or rigidly securedto this shaft, is a pinion 32 disposed below the lever 23,

A bridge member 33 is secured to the supportin plate it, this bridgemember being disposed'in a position spaced above the plate and overlyingthe ratchet 29. Pivotally-mounted at the lower surface of the bridgemember 33 isa pawl 34 urged by a spring 35 into engagement with theratchet wheel 25. l l

It will be remembered that the plate or lever 23 rotatably carrying thepinion 32 is oscillated laterally of the longitudinal dimension of theattachment by rotation of the cam wheel 53, this oscillation takingplace in an up-and-down direction as viewed in Fig. 4. From this figure,it will be apparent that, as the pawl 34 is mounted on a fixed part ofthe frame of the device, the oscillation of the lever 23 and the ratchetwheel 29 carried thereby will effect step-by-step rotation of this wheeland of the pinion 32. Movement of the ratchet wheel toward the bottom ofthe sheet, as viewed in Fig. 4, or away from the pawl will result in thelatter riding idly over the teeth of the wheel, while movementof thelever 23 and the wheel in the opposite direction, or toward the top ofthe sheet of the drawing, will result in the engagemet of the pawl withthe teeth of the wheel and the rotation of the 'latter'and, therefore,the rotation of the pinion 32. Therefore, each movement of the lever 23in one direction effects a partial rotation of the pinion 32..

' An adjusting lever 36 is slidably mounted with respect to thesupporting plate In, the forward end of this lever being bentdownwardly, as shown at El, and carrying apivot pin 38 slidably mountedin a slot 39 in the plate, sothat the lever can be adjusted with respectto the plate. At its rear end, this lever passes through a stirrup 40secured to the bridge 33 and is provided at its upper surface with aplurality of notches or teeth 41 adapted to be forced into engagementwith the upper portion of the stirrup by a leaf spring 42. A fingerpiece43 is mounted upon the lever so that it may be depressed by pressure ofthe finger thereon and the teeth 4! released from the stirrup to permitadjustment of the lever in the slot 39. Thus, while the lever 36 may beadjusted longitudinally of the plate l0, it will be held in any givenposition by engagement of the teeth 4| with the stirrup 40.

A feed blade 45, shown in detail in Fig. 6 of the drawings, is mountedbelow the plate II] for both sliding movement in a longitudinaldirection and oscillatory movement in a direction transverse to thelongitudinal dimension of the attachment. This feed blade is providedwith a slot 46 which slidably receives the pivot pin 38 upon the lowerend of the adjusting lever 36, the head-41 of the pivot pin (Fig; 1)securing the blade against detachment from the pin. Thus this blade maywing or oscillate .aboutthepivot pin 38 and also slide longitudinallyrelatively to this pin as permitted by the slot 46.

Adjacent its front end a presser foot or feeding foot 48 is pivoted at49 to forwardly extending legs 56 of the blade 45. The presser foot 48may be roughened upon its lower surface 5|, as is usual, so as to engagethe goods and properly feed the goods'both longitudinally and laterallyof the device during its operation. It will be understood that theattachment is employed in connection with a cover plate (not shown)which covers up the usual feeding mechanism of the sewing machine, sothat the entire feed of the goods is obtained through the foot 48 andfeed blade 45 to which the foot is pivoted.

Adjacent its rear end the feed blade 45 is provided with an opening 53,this opening being preferably of keyhole shape in that it is enlarged atits rear end, as shown at 54. Within this opening is snugly, but freely,received the frame 56 of a rack member or unit, which member is providedadjacent its'outer wall with an endless series of rack teeth 51. Thismemberis also provided with an oblong or oval groove or track 58 withinthe series of teeth 51,. the series of teeth also being of oval or oblonshape in this form of my invention. Adjacent its outer edge the frame 55is provided with a. laterally extending flange 59 adapted to abutagainst the lower surface of the blade 45 about the edges of the opening53, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3.

As will be apparent from Figs. 3 and 5, when the rack unit 55 is inplace it will project forwardly through anopening Ell in the supportingplate Hi, this opening being relatively large so as to provide for thesliding and lateral movements of the feedblade 45 and the rack unitwhich is carried thereby. Also, the pilot pin 3i on the lower endof theshaft 30 is received in the groove or track 58'of the rack unit, and thepinion 32 is also received in this unit and its teeth engaged with thoseof the rack 51.

From the above description it will be apparent that, as the pinion isrotated, the rack member 56 and rear end of the feed blade will becaused to travel in a more or less generally oval path as determined bythe engagement of the pilot pin 3| in the groove 58. It may also benoted that this pilot pin serves to connect the oscillating lever 23with the feed blade 45 so, that, as the lever is oscillatedbythe cam I3,the rear end of the feed bladewill likewise be oscillated, thuseffecting an oscillatory movement of the presser foot 48 and .ofthematerial engaged by the presser foot, so as to elfect the zig-zagline of stitching at each side of. the buttonhole.

As has been stated above, the rack member 58 is freely, though snugly,received in the opening 53, so that it may be replaceable by a difierentunit having thesame outside dimensions but having a-series of Irackteeth and groove 58 of different length or shape, so as to makebuttonholes of different length, shape, or width. For example, as shownin Fig. 8, a rack unit BI is shown which may be inserted into opening 53of the blade interchangeably with the rack unit 56, the unit 5| beingadapted to make a buttonhole of keyhole shape. 7 a

In order to hold these rackunits in place, a lower cover 63 is provided,which cover is hinged to the base plate l0 at64 .(Figs. 1 and 2) and isprovided at its free end with a spring latch 55 engaging the uppersurface of-the base plate in to, hold it in place. Uponv the uppersurface of this cover is a fiat spring 68 which bears against the rackunit 56 and holds it in place. i 3 Upon the upper end of the shaft 30 issecured aknob- Blby which this shaft may be turned so as to'advance therack unit and the feed blade manually; if desired,-in--order to beginstitching at any desired place around the periphery of the buttonhole. ai

. In Figs. 9-and 100f the drawings,'I have shown amodifiedform of myinvention-in that a different construction is employed to impart anintermittent feed-or rotation of the pinion 32. In this form of myinvention the hub28 is somewhatsmaller than the -hub 28 shown in Fig. 3.About this' huba spring 68 is coiled, the lower end of-which spring issecured at 69 toa lug 10 on the-lower surface of the bridge member 33.It will be noted that, as shown in Fig. 9, the spring passes 'througha'n' elongated opening H in the lug 10,'and an adjusting screw "servesto hold the end of the-spring against movement so that the feed may beadjusted by turning this screw.- It will be obvious'that with thisarrangement,- when the lever 23 is moved in one direction, the springwill be tightened about the hub 28 and cause this hub to rotate, thusrotating the shaft 35 and pinion 32, while, when the lever 23 is movedin the other direction, the spring will be relieved of its grip upon thehub and the pinion 32 will remain at rest.

The operation of my device is briefly as follows: When the lever i6 isoscillated by the reciprocation of the needle bar, the cam roll or wheelis will be givena step+bystep movement through the pawl 19 and ratchetwheel 2|. By the engagement-of the pin 3| and pinion 32' with the rackunit 56 which is held snugly in place in the feed blade 45, theoscillation of the lever 23 by the movement of the cam-wheel l3 will beimparted to the feed blade. This effects lateral oscillation of theforward end of the feed blade and, therefore, of the presser foot 48 andthe goods carried thereby so as to move the material back and forth andeffect the zig-zag stitching,

shown in Fig. 11,'this-movement moving the needle from points in theline a, for example, to pointsin the line b, and vice versa. Y At thesame time, the pinion 32 will be caused to rotate, and by its engagementwith the teeth of the endless rack of the rack 'unit 56 the feed bladewill be caused to move slidably and in a longitudinal directionrelatively to the frame of the attachment.- Due to the engagement of thepin 5| in the groove or track 58 this will cause the rear end of thefeed blade to-travel in an oblong path and thus produce the closed lineof stitchin shown in Fig.- 11. During this movement the feed" blademoves about the pivot pin 38 and also slides longitudinally with respectto this pin as permittedby the slot. i If it is desired to change thebite or the width of the stitching between the line a and the line I),this may bedone by moving the lever 36 which moves thepivot'point 38and, therefore, changes the movement'of the front end of the feed bladewith respect to the movement of the rear end by changing the applicationof the pivot point.

The length and the general shape of'the button hole is determined by theshape of the guide groove 58 and the rack teeth of the rack unit 56 sothat,-it a shorter buttonhole is desired or one of keyhole shape,jadifferent rack unit isemployed which-"as already described, may bereadily inserted in place. 7

If it is desired to vary the spacing of the stitching which is thedistance between'the median line of the stitching at one side of thebuttonhole and that at the other side, or the distance between the lineso and d in Fig. 11, this may be done also by movement of the lever 36 asmovement of the pivot pin 38 notonly changes the lateral throw of thefeed'blade in making the stitches, but also changes to a degree thelateral throw of the. feed blade at the end of the buttonhole when thepilot pin is passing over the oblong ends of the .endless track, so thattwo adjustments are eifected by the lever 36. It is understood that thespacing is also partly determinedby the 'distancebetween the oppositeruns of: the track 58, but the determination in this respect is modified'bythe position of the pivot pin 38. v

While I have shown and described some preferred embodimentsiof myinvention, it. will? be understoodthat it isnot to be limited toall ofthe details shown, .but'is capableof modification and variation withinthe spirit of theinvention and within the scope of the claims; 5 *1 sWhat I claim is: H Y

1. A buttonhole attachment for sewing. maehines,"comprising a supportingplate, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, means for oscillating saidleverina substantially horizontal plane, a feed blade, means connectingsaid blade to the plate for oscillatory and sliding movement, and.cooperating interengaging means mounted upon said lever and feed bladefor actuating the latter in both oscillatory and-sliding movements bythe oscillatory movement of the lever.

A buttonhole. attachment for sewing ma chines, comprising a supportingplate, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, means for oscillating saidlever ina substantially horizontal plane, a feed blade, means connectingsaid blade to the plate for oscillatory and sliding movement, andcooperating means carried by said leverand feed blade for'actuating thelatter in both oscillatory and sliding movements by the oscillatorymovement of the lever, said-last-named means comprising a pinion carriedby said lever.

3. A buttonhole attachment for sewing machines, comprising a supportingplate, a lever-pivotally' mounted thereon, means for oscillating saidlever ina substantially horizontal plane, a feed blade',-'meansconnecting said blade to the plate for oscillatory and-sliding movement,cooperating means carried by said lever and feed blade for actuating thelatter in both oscillatory and sliding'movements by the oscillatorymovement of thelever, said last-named means comprising a pinion carriedby said lever, and a rack on said blade with which said pinion isengaged.

'-"'4.=A buttonhole attachment for sewing machines, comprising asupporting plate, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, means foroscillating said lever in a substantially horizontal plane, a feedblade, means connecting said blade to the plate for oscillatory andsliding movement, cooperating means carried by said lever and feed bladef or'actuating the latter in both oscillatory and sliding movements bythe oscillatory movement of the lever, said last-named'means comprisinga pinion carriedby said lever, and means for effecting rotation of saidpinion by the oscillatory movementof the' lever.

5.'-A;--'buttonhole attachment for sewing machinesfcomprising' asupporting plate, a lever pivotallymounted thereon, means foroscillating 'saidlevei in' a substantially horizontal plane, a feedblade, means connecting said blade to the plate for oscillatory andslidingmovement, coop pivotally mounted thereon, means for oscillatingsaid lever in a substantially horizontal plane, a feed blade, meansconnecting said blade to the plate for oscillatory and sliding movement,coopcrating means carried by saidlever and feed blade for actuating thelatter in both oscillatory and sliding movements by the: oscillatorymovement of the lever, said last-named means. comprising a pinioncarried by said lever, and a rack .on. said blade with which said pinionis engaged. said rack being rigidly secured to the blade .whereby saidblade is moved in one direction upon. rotation of the pinion and in atransverse direction by oscillation of said'lever.

'7. In a buttonhole attachment for sewing m'achines having a needle bar,a supporting frame, a feed blade carried'by the frame for pivotal andsliding movements relatively thereto, a rack member fixedly secured tosaid blade, a pinion engaged with the teeth of said rack member, meanscarried by the frame for supporting said pinion for rotating movementand for oscillat ing movement about a point remote from its axis, andmeans for simultaneously rotating said pinion and oscillating it aboutsaid point.

8. In a buttonhole attachment for sewing ma.- chines having a needlebar, a supportingframe, a feed blade carried by the frame for pivotaland sliding movements, relatively thereto, a rack member fixedly securedto said blade, a lever pivoted to the frame and oscillated by themovement of the needle. bar, a pinion rotatably carried'by the lever andengaged with said rack member, and means for. effecting intermittentrotation of the pinion upon oscillation of the lever.

9. A buttonhole attachment for sewing machines, comprising asupportingplate, a lever pivotally mounted thereon,,means for oscillating said lever in a substantially horizontal plane,

a feed blade, means connecting said blade to the plate for oscillatoryand sliding movement, cooperating means carried by said. leverand feedblade for actuating'the latter'in" both oscillatory and slidingmovements by the oscillatory movement of the lever, said last-namedmeans comprising a pinion carried by said lever, means for effectingrotation of said pinion by the oscillatory movement of the lever, andmeans for rotatin said pinion independently of the movement of thelever.

10. In a buttonhole attachment for-sewing machines having a needle bar,a supporting frame, a feed blade carried by the frame for pivotal andsliding movements relatively thereto, a rack member fixedly secured tosaid blade, a pinion engaged with-the teeth of said rack, meanssupporting said pinion on the frame for rotation about its axis and foroscillation'about a point remote from its axis, and means .forsimultaneously rotating'said pinion and oscillating. it about saidpoint, said rack memberv being removably secured to the blade whereby itmaybe replaced by another.

11. In abuttonhole attachment for'sewing machines having a needlebar,,;a supporting frame, a feed blade carried by the frame for. pivotaland sliding movements relatively thereto, a rack member fixedly securedto said blade, ,a, pinion engaged with the teeth of said rack member,means carried by the frame for supporting said pinion for rotating;movement-and foroscillating movement about a point remote from its axis,and means for simultaneously rotating said pinion and oscillating itabout saidv point, said blade having an opening therein, and said rackmember being snugly and removably received in said opening.

7 12.- In a buttonholeattachment for sewing machines having a needlebar, a supporting frame, a feed blade carried by the frame for pivotaland sliding movements relatively thereto, said feed blade being providedwith an opening. for selectively receiving one of a plurality of rackmem-' bers, a rack member rem'ovably disposed in said opening, apinionengaged with. the teeth of said rack member means carried by theframe for supporting said pinion for rotating movement and foroscillating movement about a point remote from its axis, and means forsimultaneously rotating said pinion-on its axis and oscillating it aboutsaid point. I

13. In a buttonhole attachment for sewing machines having a-needle bar,a supporting frame, a feed blade carried by the frame for pivotal andsliding movements relatively thereto, a rack member fixedly secured tosaid blade, a pinion engaged with theteeth of said rack member, meanscarried by the frame for supporting said pinion for rotating, movementand for oscillating movement about a point remote from its axis, meansfor simultaneously rotating said pinion and oscillating it about saidpoint, said rack member having an endless series of teeth thereupon tomove said feed blade in an oblong path to stitch around a buttonhole,and means for adjusting the bite of the stitch.

14. In a buttonhole attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar,a supporting frame, a feed blade carried by the frame for pivotal andsliding movements relatively thereto, a rack member fixedly secured tosaidblade, a pinion engaged with the teeth of said rack member, meanscarried by theframe for supporting said pinion for rotating movement andfor oscillating movement about. apoint remote from its axis, means forsimultaneously rotating, said pinion and oscillating it about saidpoint, said rack. member having an endless series of teeth thereupon tomove said feed blade inan oblon path to stitch around a buttonhole, andmeans for adjusting the spacing of the stitching on one side of thebuttonhole from that on the other side.

15. In a buttonhole attachment for sewing machines having a needle bar,a supporting frame, a feed blade carried by the frame for pivotal andsliding movements relatively thereto, a rack member fixedlysecured tosaid blade, a pinion engaged with the teeth of said'rack member, meanscarried by the frame for supporting said pinion for rotating movementand for oscillating movement about apoint remote from its axis, meansfor simultaneously rotating said pinion and oscillating'it about said.point, said rack member havin an'endless series of teeth thereupon tomove said feed blade in an oblong path to stitch around abuttonhole,-and means for adjusting the position of the pivotalconnection of the feed blade with the frameto adjust both thebite andspacing of the stitching.

16. A buttonhole attachment for sewing machines, comprising a supportingplate, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, means for oscillating saidlever in a substantially horizontal plane, a feed blade, meansconnecting said blade to the plate for oscillatory and sliding movement,cooperating means carried by said lever and feed blade for actuating thelatter in both oscillatory and sliding movements by the oscillatorymovement of the lever, said means including a rack member, said feedblade having an opening therein, and said rack member being snuglyreceived in said opening, and means to removably hold said rack memberin place.

17. A buttonhole attachment for sewing machines, comprising a supportingplate, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, means for oscillating saidlever in a substantially horizontal plane, a feed blade, meansconnecting said blade to the plate for oscillatory and sliding movement,cooperating means carried by said lever and feed blade for actuating thelatter in both oscillatory and sliding movements by the oscillatorymovement of the lever, said last-named means comprising a pinion carriedby said lever, means for effecting rotation of said pinion by theoscillatory movement of the lever, said means comprising a ratchet wheel011' shaft,

and a cooperating pawl mounted on the plate.

18. A buttonhole attachment for sewing machines, comprising a supportingplate, a lever pivotally mounted thereon,'means for oscillat foreffecting rotation of said pinion by the oscillatory movement of thelever, said means comprising a spring coiled about the shaft of saidpinion and having one end fixed with respect to the plate.

NILS T. ALMQUIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flleofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Daite Harris Dec. 7, 1880 Number

